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Article Reference Active dispersal is differentially affected by inter- and intraspecific competition in closely related nematode species (vol 124, pg 561, 2016)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Article Reference Active dispersal is differentially affected by inter- and intraspecific competition in closely related nematode species
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications
Article Reference Active dispersal is differentially affected by inter- and intraspecific competition in closely related nematode species
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications
Article Reference Activity and behaviour of Nathusius’ pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii at low and high altitude in a North Sea offshore wind farm
Several bat species are known to migrate long distances between summer and winter roosts. During migration, many bats even cross the North Sea. The developments of offshore wind farms in the North Sea could therefore pose a collision risk for migrating bats. While bats have been observed inside offshore wind farms, their activity at turbine rotor height yet remains unknown. We therefore installed acoustic bat detectors at wind turbines in the Belgian part of the North Sea. Seven detectors were installed on the service platform of the transition piece (16 m above mean sea level) and four were installed on the nacelle of the turbines, in the centre of the rotor swept area (93 m above mean sea level). A total of 151 recordings of call sequences of Pipistrellus nathusii (Nathusius’ pipistrelle) were made during 20 nights over an entire autumn migration season (8 August – 30 November 2017). 45 recordings contained more than 10 calls. These were further investigated for behavioural clues. We identified 32 recordings of animals in transit and 10 sequences of animals passing by while simultaneously exploring. Only three detections contained feeding buzzes and/or intense exploratory behaviour. The number of recordings at 93 m were around 10% of the number of recordings made at 16 m. This indicates that the activity of P. nathusii at our study site, measured at that particular altitude is low. Our observations therefore suggest that the collision risk might be lower than what could be expected from low altitude observations. However, a low number of recordings at nacelle height does not necessarily mean that only a low number of bats will collide with the turbines. The activity in the outer parts of the rotor swept zone, outside the detection range of our acoustic detectors, remains unknown and should be further investigated.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019
Article Reference Adaptation of a polyphagous herbivore to a novel host plant extensively shapes the transcriptome of herbivore and host
Generalist arthropod herbivores rapidly adapt to a broad range of host plants. However, the extent of transcriptional reprogramming in the herbivore and its hosts associated with adaptation remains poorly understood. Using the spider mite Tetranychus urticae and tomato as models with available genomic resources, we investigated the reciprocal genomewide transcriptional changes in both spider mite and tomato as a consequence of mite's adaptation to tomato. We transferred a genetically diverse mite population from bean to tomato where triplicated populations were allowed to propagate for 30 generations. Evolving populations greatly increased their reproductive performance on tomato relative to their progenitors when reared under identical conditions, indicative of genetic adaptation. Analysis of transcriptional changes associated with mite adaptation to tomato revealed two main components. First, adaptation resulted in a set of mite genes that were constitutively downregulated, independently of the host. These genes were mostly of an unknown function. Second, adapted mites mounted an altered transcriptional response that had greater amplitude of changes when re-exposed to tomato, relative to nonadapted mites. This gene set was enriched in genes encoding detoxifying enzymes and xenobiotic transporters. Besides the direct effects on mite gene expression, adaptation also indirectly affected the tomato transcriptional responses, which were attenuated upon feeding of adapted mites, relative to the induced responses by nonadapted mite feeding. Thus, constitutive downregulation and increased transcriptional plasticity of genes in a herbivore may play a central role in adaptation to host plants, leading to both a higher detoxification potential and reduced production of plant defence compounds.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications
Article Reference Adapting practices to accelerate the scientific description of invertebrate cryptic species
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Adaptive evolution of stress response genes in parasites aligns with host niche diversity
Background Stress responses are key the survival of parasites and, consequently, also the evolutionary success of these organisms. Despite this importance, our understanding of the evolution of molecular pathways dealing with environmental stressors in parasitic animals remains limited. Here, we tested the link between adaptive evolution of parasite stress response genes and their ecological diversity and species richness. We comparatively investigated antioxidant, heat shock, osmoregulatory, and behaviour-related genes (foraging) in two model parasitic flatworm lineages with contrasting ecological diversity, Cichlidogyrus and Kapentagyrus (Platyhelminthes: Monopisthocotyla), through whole-genome sequencing of 11 species followed by in silico exon bait capture as well as phylogenetic and codon analyses. Results We assembled the sequences of 48 stress-related genes and report the first foraging (For) gene orthologs in flatworms. We found duplications of heat shock (Hsp) and oxidative stress genes in Cichlidogyrus compared to Kapentagyrus. We also observed positive selection patterns in genes related to mitochondrial protein import (Hsp) and behaviour (For) in species of Cichlidogyrus infecting East African cichlids—a host lineage under adaptive radiation. These patterns are consistent with a potential adaptation linked to a co-radiation of these parasites and their hosts. Additionally, the absence of cytochrome P450 and kappa and sigma-class glutathione S-transferases in monogenean flatworms is reported, genes considered essential for metazoan life. Conclusions This study potentially identifies the first molecular function linked to a flatworm radiation. Furthermore, the observed gene duplications and positive selection indicate the potentially important role of stress responses for the ecological adaptation of parasite species.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Adaptive, preadamtive and non-adaptive components of radiations in ancient lakes: a review
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications
Article Reference Additional data on eastern Pantepui Orthalicoidea land snails (Mollusca, Gastropoda)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2020
Article Reference Additional postcranial elements of Teilhardina belgica: the oldest European Primate
Teilhardina belgica is one of the earliest fossil primates ever recovered and the oldest fossil primate from Europe. As such, this taxon has often been hypothesized as a basal tarsiiform on the basis of its primitive dental formula with four premolars and a simplified molar cusp pattern. Until recently [see Rose et al.: Am J Phys Anthropol 146 (2011) 281–305; Gebo et al.: J Hum Evol 63 (2012) 205–218], little was known concerning its postcranial anatomy with the exception of its well-known tarsals. In this article, we describe additional postcranial elements for T. belgica and compare these with other tarsiiforms and with primitive adapiforms. The forelimb of T. belgica indicates an arboreal primate with prominent forearm musculature, good elbow rotational mobility, and a horizontal, rather than a vertical body posture. The lateral hand positions imply grasps adaptive for relatively large diameter supports given its small body size. The hand is long with very long fingers, especially the middle phalanges. The hindlimb indicates foot inversion capabilities, frequent leaping, arboreal quadrupedalism, climbing, and grasping. The long and well-muscled hallux can be coupled with long lateral phalanges to reconstruct a foot with long grasping digits. Our phyletic analysis indicates that we can identify several postcranial characteristics shared in common for stem primates as well as note several derived postcranial characters for Tarsiiformes.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications